


Red Light District

by amissapanda



Category: Princess Tutu
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, F/M, Mentions of Prostitution, Succubi & Incubi, Talk of sex, but no actual mature scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-13
Updated: 2014-07-13
Packaged: 2018-02-08 18:20:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1951350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amissapanda/pseuds/amissapanda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A young succubus becomes of age to begin hunting, but she doesn't quite find the 'victim' she had been expecting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Red Light District

**Author's Note:**

> A request for karichi-du-soleil on tumblr.

Ahiru felt horribly uncomfortable as she stood at the street corner of Swanson Avenue beneath a street lamp. The clock face nearby said it that it was almost half past midnight. And it was getting a little chilly, but she stayed rooted to her spot, determined to make this a success.  
  
It was her first time. And her kind didn't got on the hunt in packs---she had to do this on her own. The redheaded succubus went through the training and she was supposed to feel confident and natural in this situation now that she was immersed first-hand. Everyone else adapted with ease into their roles. It was only a matter of time for her, she thought.  
  
But those feelings never came. Her feet hurt in the four inch heels she had shoved them into to give herself some height, she didn't like the low cut of her dress, she was pretty sure her lipstick was smudged, and her long hair was balled up messily ontop of her head, drooping precariously to one side.  
  
Still, she was too stubborn to give up without even really trying. What was a little discomfort if she could pull this off?   
  
Besides, she had been instructed and trained by the best. There was no one that Rue couldn't seduce. Almost all it took for her was a single glance, a slight curl of one painted fingernail, and she had all but a buffet of eager men at her beck and call.  
  
Ahiru secretly envied her a little bit. Rue had a womanly appearance and attracted men without even trying. Her sheer presence was enough. The redhead felt gangly and unattractive in comparison. She was so short that she had to wear large heels to get a few inches higher, had little to no bust to accentuate, and on top of that, her appearance was almost childish and couldn't carry herself in a way that would be considered sexy.  
  
But she had trained. She trained hard. And whether she was ready for this or not, it didn't matter. She was at the point of maturity for a young succubus that required sex with a man for sustenance. It wasn't a matter of wanting---it was a matter of _living_. And as harsh as Rue was in training with how much Ahiru fumbled around and screwed up, even she had faith that it would turn out alright, and assured the redhead that she had her own appeal.  
  
" _Some men favor the innocent types_ ," she had told her. " _It should be easy for you to rope one of them_."  
  
Easy didn't cut it, though. Of the men that had approached her in the past couple of hours, Ahiru chickened out and had hurried into a nearby building to avoid nearly all of them. She only tried to approach one and the lines she had been reciting in her head blurted out in such a mess of nonsensical words that the young man had walked away in stitches, calling over his shoulder for her to go home before she embarrassed herself any further.  
  
How pathetic was it for a succubus not only be afraid of these men, but to make them _laugh_ at her?  
  
Ahiru sighed, twirling a red curl from the side of her face with one finger. The pink painted upon her fingernails was half chipped away from her nervous biting at them and from trying to plant her hand on her waist and hip in just the _right_ way that she had practiced previously.  
  
She wouldn't starve after a single night of reaching seducing age, but she just wasn't ready to throw in the towel. Rue said that the men would generally do most of the work for her and she could feast amidst it, but... why did she feel so uncertain about even talking to them? Why did looks of interest make her want to turn and flee instead come closer and touching and smile coyly?  
  
Was she really just not fit to be a succubus?  
  
"Hey--"  
  
Those doubts flew out of her on a squeal of surprise when she felt a hand on her shoulder, nearly jumping out of own skin fro the sudden contact. The hand quickly retracted and she turned, finding herself facing a tall young man with dark hair. He wasn't giving her the sleazy looks that had been unsettling her all night---on the contrary, he actually looked angry.  
  
Before she could even consider how to respond, the stranger all but snatched her arm and started to drag her away from the street corner. Ahiru stumbled in attempt not to lose a high-heeled shoe. "Wait--- _wait_ , what are you--"  
  
"Are you _crazy_?" he interrupted, pulling her to the side of the building. He didn't release her arm---if anything, his grip tightened. "Where the hell are your parents? Who put you up to this?"  
  
Her brows furrowed. "H... Huh? No one put me up to anything! I was just--"  
  
"Where are you parents?" he demanded. "Do they know you're out there on this dingy street corner in this part of town? Do they know what you're _doing_?"  
  
Ahiru was flabbergasted by this stranger. Why was he so mad at her? And really---she knew that she looked pretty childish, but...!  
  
"I'm old enough to take care of myself!" she shot back, feeling annoyed. He didn't understand her situation! He didn't understand what she was doing! What business was it of his? "Do you just walk up and grab people all the time?!"  
  
"You _want_ someone to come to that corner and take advantage of you?" He looked genuinely disturbed by the thought. "The hell's wrong with you?"  
  
This wasn't how Ahiru wanted to end her night. And she felt challenged by this nameless young man with the fierce green eyes. He thought she was too young? He thought she didn't know exactly what she was trying to do?   
  
Maybe she'd just... just have to try this out on him. That would teach him a lesson!  
  
Taking a deep breath in preparation, Ahiru turned to face the young man and pressed a thigh to his side, batting her eyelashes at him. Her lips trembled, but she forced practiced words out of them in a voice she hoped came off at least a little sultry. "So the knight came to save the helpless princess? B-But what if she's... not a princess? What if she's a wicked, wicked witch that casts a spell on hi--- _hey_!"  
  
Without even letting her finish, the stranger had gripped her arm once more and tugged her away from the side of the old building.  
  
"I was right," he grumbled in irritation, pulling her further down the street. "You have _no_ goddamn idea what you're doing."  
  
"Wait! Wait, just--!" Ahiru whined, fumbling after him. And this time, she _did_ leave a shoe behind.   
  
Refusing to listen to or even acknowledge her protests, he pulled her all the way into a 24-hour cafe and led her to a table in the back. The establishment was all but vacant. And Ahiru was feeling more and more confused by the second---not just about this man, but the fact that her charms hadn't even deterred him in the slightest. Was she really that unnattractive? Was she really going to have to waste away because she couldn't do what her kind was naturally supposed to?  
  
Once they were seated, the young man pulled out a cellphone and pushed it across the table to her. "There. Call your parents. Call _someone_ that can come to get you. You don't belong out there."  
  
 _You don't belong out there_. The words unintentionally stung. She tried her hardest---she really did. So why didn't it work? And why did she turn tail and run every time a man showed the exact kind of interest she was trying to get?  
  
"I'm a failure," she spoke aloud, ignoring the phone set before her.  
  
"Don't be an idiot," he chastised, nudging the cell with one finger toward her again. "That's not the way to make a living and anyone who told you otherwise is an even bigger idiot."  
  
That hit a nerve, and Ahiru burst on the spot before she could stop herself. "Rue is not an idiot!"  
  
The young man shifted back against the booth, crossing his arms, his ponytail resting on his shoulder. "Clearly they are if they told you to do something like this. How old are you?"  
  
Sourly, Ahiru looked down. She could feel a large section of her curled hair having already unwoven and fallen down her back. "I'm an adult. Looks aren't everything. And you... you should mind your own business."  
  
Silence followed. She could feel a note of discomfort from the man across from her now. Had she hit a nerve? Ahiru hoped so.  
  
"...You could have been hurt," he finally spoke, his words not as harsh and reprimanding as before. "Maybe it's not really my place to step in, but you were making a huge mistake. I saw you earlier. Two men came toward you and you quickly hobbled off in those ridiculous heels into a supermarket. Who are you trying to fool?"  
  
Ahiru felt something like ice drip into her veins. He hadn't just walked up and pulled her away. He had already beared witness to her previous failures and running away. Shame lit up her cheeks with so much warmth that she felt they were on fire.  
  
"You... you don't understand," she pressed in a strained voice. "This isn't a... a choice. Not for me. I _have_ to do this."  
  
"No you _don't_ ," he insisted immediately. "Whoever told you that is _wrong_! What do you need? Money? A place to sleep? I don't have a lot of cash, but I can spare a little if it will you keep you off of--"  
  
"I need sex!" she blurted in desperation, raising her head.  
  
 _That_ stunned him into silence. The look on his face might have been comical if the situation had been different.  
  
"Just... just mind your own business," she continued in a rush. "I might not be... be curvy or pretty, but I have to try. I need this."  
  
He swallowed. "So you... you've done this before?"  
  
Now it was her turn to shift uncomfortably. "Well... no. This is my first time. But I practiced hard and I'm ready. I'm just... just a little nervous."  
  
"I can't believe I'm having this conversation..."  
  
She blinked back him, not having caught his words. "Sorry, what?"  
  
"Nothing," he grumbled. "If you're really an adult, I can't tell you what to do. But try to be careful. If you're running away from people that approach you, that's a sign that you shouldn't be out there. You were clearly scared."  
  
"M--Maybe I was!" she exclaimed. "But I can't help it! If I don't learn now, I'll die!"  
  
The fact that she said too much didn't register for a few seconds. Once it did, she slapped a hand over he mouth, looking as mortified as the man across the table did. But his shock quickly faded and he grabbed a hold of her wrist, looking her straight in the eye.  
  
"Is someone actually _threatening_ you over this?" he hissed.  
  
"No! No, no---it's not like that! It's---it's..." she stammered unintelligibly, at a loss for how to get herself out of this mess. It wasn't like she could come right out and tell him what she was. He'd think she was crazy---or crazier than he already thought she was. "I... I can't explain it."  
  
"This is obviously serious if your goddamn life is in danger, idiot." he pressed, keeping his voice low to avoid attracting any attention from the staff. "Look, I'm not a cop yet, but I'm in training. I can't show you a badge, but I can get you help."  
  
 _In training_. He was at her stage. He, too, was training for a job that could have life or death situations.   
  
But he was human. He wouldn't be able to understand her, would he?  
  
"It's not... something that you can help," she tried to choose her words carefully. "It's... it's just how I am. Who I am."  
  
He let go of her wrist, sighing as he flopped back against the cushioned booth. "Nothing you say makes any damn sense."  
  
She quieted for a moment, spinning his cell phone around on the polished surface of the cafe table. "...You wouldn't believe me if I told you the truth."  
  
He shrugged. "Try me. I'm sure I'll hear a hundred more unbelievable stories when I become a cop."  
  
Ahiru bit her lip. Could she really just go and spill her secret? Could she put that in the hands of a young man training for the law enforcement? He could hand her over to the authorities. They could send her to a crazy house or something.  
  
But oddly enough, she felt that she could trust him. And a quick glance around assured her that they were alone. The employees had apparently retired to the back of the cafe for a break or something.   
  
"I... " she started, swallowing hard. "I'm a succubus. I just reached hunting age. If I don't start having sex... in about a week I'll starve. I'm sure it sounds... really crazy to you, but that's... that's the truth. No one's making me do this. I have to do it to survive."  
  
She couldn't look up. Despite the fact that she trusted him, she still had her doubts. And she didn't want to see the way he would look at her after hearing that.  
  
"...You're right. You sound absolutely nuts."   
  
She seized up, biting hard upon her lip. Of course it wouldn't sound real to a human. That was all fantasy to them. It was all--  
  
"But I must be even crazier, because I actually believe you."  
  
Ahiru blinked, slowly looking up. It wasn't a face of judgment or severe disapproval or even disbelief that she found herself looking at. If anything, he looked merely exasperated.   
  
"I can't imagine some girl actually fighting to _stay_ on a street corner like that when they've never even been with a man. And most people would have called for help by now if they were given the opportunity and a promise of protection. I couldn't figure out why you were fighting me so hard on this. It was goddamn frustrating."  
  
"So... you understand?" she ventured hopefully. "You know why I have to go back to that street corner now?"  
  
"No," interjected almost immediately. "I _don't_ understand that. Isn't there some other way that wouldn't put you at the mercy of any man who comes across you? You could find a boyfriend, or something, couldn't you?"  
  
Ahiru gave him an unamused look. "Yeah, that'd be just great. Find a boyfriend in a few days and have him completely understand that I need sex right away and need it a lot. That's not gonna sound weird at _all_."  
  
He winced, looking away. "Alright, alright. I get it. But still, there _must_ be a better way."  
  
"You're the cop in training. You tell me." she challenged, crossing her arms and pouting.  
  
The still-nameless young man seemed to be thinking hard. In a way, Ahiru was in awe---almost touched that he not only believed her, but he was agonizing over this to try to find a safer way for her to deal with her requirements. Was it the cop in him that wanted to help her and protect her this badly?  
  
"Look, I... this is a lot to take in, but I..." he paused, shuffling a tan-skinned hand up through his unruly dark bangs. "What if... I offered to help you."  
  
Ahiru stared. He wasn't... he didn't say---he wasn't implying what she thought he was, right?   
  
"It's okay if you can't think of anything. Really, I'll just do what I--"  
  
"I mean myself," he cut in sharply. "I don't have any experience in... in _that_ either. But I can promise that I won't tell anyone and if it'll keep you alive and off the streets, then..."  
  
He wasn't meeting her eyes, but she could see the blush flushing his cheeks all the way to the tips of his ears. Ahiru was stunned. Even someone aiming to be a policeman wouldn't go _that_ far to help someone---especially someone claiming to not even be human... would they?  
  
"You can say no if you're not comfortable with that. I wouldn't blame you." He clenched his fingers into his bangs, jutting locks of hair out between the gaps. "I just... I don't know. Seeing you put yourself out there like a piece of meat bothered me. And thinking of you doing it again because you _have_ to is just..."  
  
Clearing her throat, Ahiru extended her hand over the table. "My name is Ahiru. I'd like to accept your offer. Mister...?"  
  
He looked incredulously at the gesture before finally moving to take her small hand in his. "...Fakir."  
  
"Well, Fakir... we've at least got a week to get to know each other first. Do you have any questions for me?"  
  
"Many," he responded, releasing her hand. "This might as well be my first real interrogation. I can already tell that trying to understand this is going to give me a headache."  
  
"Alright, officer-to-be." She sat up straight, holding her chin up. "I'll answer anything and everything you ever wanted to know about sex demons."  
  
He gave her a withering stare. "Don't say that with a such straight, baby face. It's weird."  
  
"Hey, you asked for it!" she reminded him, huffing indignantly. "And I _am_ weird, even for a succubus."  
  
He was struggling not to crack a smirk. "Keep that up and I might change my mind about sending you to the loony bin."  
  
"Hey! You're not a cop yet!"  
  
" _Yet._ "  
  
"Well... you wouldn't." She peeked up at him from beneath her bangs. "Right?"  
  
"Hn. I suppose not," he conceded. "After all, they'd have to admit me, too."  
  
"Crazy loves company!" she declared with a grin.  
  
"That's _misery_ , moron."  
  



End file.
